Hinkletown Mennonite School

HMS-LWeaver

Lukas Weaver

8th Grade

“BAM!! The ball hits the bat with a tremendous sound, and that is his first homerun of the season!” Whenever Lukas is free, he likes to play sports with his friends. Lukas is an eighth grader at Hinkletown Mennonite School. His mom is Lori Weaver, and he goes to Hinkletown Mennonite Church. Lukas is a courageous person when it comes to sports. He plays basketball and baseball and enjoys them both. Lukas Weaver is a sports enthusiast and is always willing to play sports. 

When Lukas is not with his pets or family, he is most likely to be with friends playing some sort of sport. Lukas is an active person and enjoys being outside whenever he can. He likes playing all sports, but his favorite one is baseball. Lukas plays spring and fall ball. His spring team is Garden Spot and his fall team is the Bowmansville Red Sox. Lukas has been playing baseball for nine years. He plays as a middle infielder and as a pitcher. Playing baseball is his passion and it brings him enjoyment.

When it is not baseball season, Lukas might be in the gym trying to make shots for basketball. One thing his team says he is, is a competitive, and a courageous player, on and off the court. For basketball, he plays guard and is excited for the upcoming basketball season so he can continue learning and growing in sports.  

Even though Lukas does not know what he wants to do in the future, he does know that he will be going to Garden Spot High School and pursuing his dream of playing sports. Whatever he ends up doing, he will do it for the Lord in a courageous way.

Written by: Jenna Kurtz


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Emma Hewitt

8th Grade

Emma Hewitt is an 8th grader enrolled at a small private school called HMS, her parents are Daniela and Kevin Hewitt, and she has recently taken up the clarinet in the school band. She enjoys hanging out with her friends and making small stories in her free time. She wants to go through the HMS Venture Program for high school and jump straight into a life of filmmaking and law.

Emma wants to write comedy films for a film company to produce. She has lots of experience in writing and editing, and her friends think she will thrive in that area of her life. Though she has great perseverance and enough drive, she still has a back up plan of being a lawyer for animal rights. She has a lot of experience debating with her friends about things like what food combinations are better than others, and often wins. But winning arguments is not the only thing she needs for being a lawyer; she will also need the same persistence shown throughout her music and her writing.

 In the end, Emma wants to be a comedy film writer and lawyer, and with the persistence she has shown, she will make it far in life.

Written by: Jesse Stauffer


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Marvin Monterroso

8th Grade

If someone were to walk into the 8th grade class at some time throughout the day and hear someone making some sort of dad joke, the best guess is Marvin. Marvin Monterroso is an 8th grader here at Hinkletown Mennonite School and has been at HMS since 4th grade. Marvin is the son of Ana and Jose Monterroso. He also has an older brother named Luis. Although Marvin may come across as funny, talkative, and outgoing, he also thinks that it is really important to make connections with people and to be able to relate to them.  

For three or four years now, Marvin has become passionate about becoming a therapist when he grows up. He thinks that relating to people and understanding where they are coming from are some of the best qualities that a therapist can have, and those are thing’s he is already good at. His friend Eli agrees and says, “He’s always there and he makes people laugh and smile.”

Someone who was a big inspiration to Marvin was Mrs. McCullough, the school guidance counselor. He looks up to her because she helps people in the same way he wants to someday. The way she connects with people and is able to talk to them is what Marvin hopes he can be like to other people someday.

Marvin is either planning on going to Hinkletown’s Venture Program or a local public school for high school. From there Marvin would like to  attend Yale University and then go straight into pursuing his career as a therapist.

Written by: Ashlyn Kanagy


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Taylor Akinin

7th Grade

Fading away in the back of the room is the unique and classic music K Pop, or Korean pop music. Ferocious scribbling is heard to the side of the action as Taylor Akinin, a sweet and creative 7th grader at Hinkletown Mennonite School, works on one of her favorite sketches. Taylor is the older sister to Kaylee and Nathan, and lives with her parents, Russ and Olga Akinin. Taylor loves taking a break from the busyness of her house and diving into her own world through art and music.

Taylor has enjoyed art since she was little. She says she was inspired by her grandpa, who went to art school, and her cousins, who enjoy anything artistic. Taylor’s favorite type of art is painting, where she likes making landscapes and any nature scene. She enjoys giving her pieces away to others when she finishes.

Taylor is also creative through her music. In fourth grade, Taylor learned the flute, and it has stuck with her ever since. Her favorite part of the instrument is playing through unique and fast songs. When she was in sixth grade, Taylor was a part of PMEA, or Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, where she was a member of a band that played three songs for the public. When Taylor is older, she hopes to use her creativity in her career and possibly pursue a job as an art teacher or work with digital art.

Aside from art and music, Taylor enjoys reading mystery and romance novels, and going to Ephrata Community Church with her family. Wherever she goes, Taylor loves spreading the joy and love of Jesus to others.

Written by: Riley Ament


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Stan Vysotsky

8th Grade

Stan Vysotsky is an athletic 8th grader at Hinkletown Mennonite School. His parents are Alex and Aina Vysotsky, and he has three siblings, along with a bird. They attend Bethany Slavic Church. Stan enjoys doing many activities, including playing the piano and cooking, but besides that, he is especially talented at soccer.

Stan began playing soccer when he was just five years old, but he was not the one who initiated it. Eight years ago, his mom went ahead and signed him up for the Ephrata team, and, fortunately, he decided he liked it. He stuck with it and has continued playing ever since then. A professional soccer player that has inspired him along the way is Lionel Messi. 

Stan is now on the soccer team at Hinkletown Mennonite School. His position is offense. He likes playing soccer because it is a very active sport that requires a lot of running, especially since he plays offense.

In the future, Stan plans to continue soccer only as a hobby, and not a career. He will probably continue in the Venture Program at HMS in high school. If he can, Stan would like to play soccer with the HMS soccer co-op, but if not he might play with Ephrata. Whatever direction he goes with it, he will always love to play soccer!

Written by: Lily Zimmerman


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Malachi Knowles

8th Grade

There are ten seconds left in the game! It is game point. The ball is in play and the clock is running. Malachi Knowles has the ball and is dribbling it down the court. Three seconds left and the crowd is on the edge of their seats! Malachi takes a shot. SWISH! Malachi is seen dominating on the basketball court at Hinkletown Mennonite School where he attends. Anyone watching HMS sports games is likely to see him playing basketball, volleyball, football, or track. He attends The Living Room church with his parents, Dave and Janina, and his six siblings. Malachi loves being active and anything that has to do with sports.  

Malachi is currently playing three sports at Hinkletown and is excited to advance his skills in football at Ephrata in high school. He is playing striker for the Hinkletown Hawks this soccer season. This winter he plans on playing point guard on the basketball team, and in the spring he is the setter for the HMS volleyball team. Last year the volleyball team won the CCAC championship and they are hoping to continue to succeed. Malachi has been playing football for six years. He plans on continuing next year when he goes to Ephrata. Malachi does not know what he wants to do in the future, but he hopes to do something that’s sports-related.

Malachi is a big part of the sports teams at Hinkletown and he is excited to continue playing throughout high school. Malachi loves being active and can not wait to grow throughout the rest of the sports season.

Written by: Cora Thomas